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Is Upper Montclair, NJ a Good Place to Live?
Upper Montclair is a small city of 12,441 in New Jersey, with a median household income of $234,620 and a 6.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.
Strengths: Upper Montclair stands out for solid school ratings (A+), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Upper Montclair is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Upper Montclair city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 112.5Upper Montclair's overall cost of living index is 112.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Upper Montclair costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Upper Montclair, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $900,100 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,302 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 84.1% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $234,620 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageUpper Montclair's violent crime rate is 286.2 per 100,000 residents — 25% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Upper Montclair is served primarily by Montclair Public School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.1:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Upper Montclair, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Montclair Public School District | — |
| Elementary Schools | 7 | — |
| Middle Schools | 3 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 11.1:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 83.3% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 98.2% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Upper Montclair sees average highs of 39.3°F in January and 86.5°F in July, with 52.4 inches of annual precipitation and 28.2 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Upper Montclair, NJ |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 39.3°F |
| Average High — July | 86.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2" |
Demographics
| Metric | Upper Montclair, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,441 | — |
| Median Age | 41.4 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.3% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 42.9 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 77.6% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 5.9% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.3% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 4.7% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 28.5% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 13.1% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Upper Montclair
Upper Montclair, NJ is covered by 1 ZIP code: